Teaching Kids to be Givers

I enjoyed this short clip from Dave Ramsey about teaching our kids to be givers. It contains some good practical wisdom for us and our kids.

Pick a Plan, Any Plan

Plan now to saturate yourself in God's Word in 2012. Don't neglect this most important of spiritual disciplines.

Justin Taylor has your one-stop "shop" for Bible Reading Plans.  Pick a plan any plan. (link fixed)

Personally, I really enjoyed reading through the Bible at my own pace in 2011 with the "plan" that just allows you to check off what you read. Taylor doesn't link to the one I used. It is here.

What Know They of Immanuel?

Jim Elliot on how the world celebrates Christmas:

"And now men talk of Christ-mass--weird monstrosity and mixture of bright lights, reindeer, tissue paper and scraggly evergreens; jumbled mobs, bargain-baited, 'striving after wind', singling 'Silent Night'--but what know they of Immanuel? How can they understand the God who once was wrapped in swaddling clothes? How long, Lord, ere they bow the knee?"

Shadow of the Almighty, p. 86.

On Giving Money

Tim Challies has a 2 part series at his blog on the issue of giving.  In it, he answers 4 questions:

1. Do I have to give some of my money away?
2. What should be my attitude as I give money away?
3. Where am I to give?
4. How much am I to give?

I found Challies' succinct answers to these questions to be very helpful.  In summary, he shows that as Christians we are indeed to give money away. We are to give cheerfully, mainly to our local church. And, we are to give sacrificially, where we actually feel that it is costing us something to give. He closes the series by showing that the tithe (giving 10% of our income) is meant to be a starting point for giving generously.

So, as you prepare for the new year, evaluate your own giving and plan to generously invest in the Kingdom of God in 2012. No greater investment can be made.

Incarnation and Redemption

1 Timothy 1:15: "This is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."

Most people in America celebrate Christmas. However, very few people actually understand who and what Christmas really commemorates. Even Christians (including myself) are easily distracted this time of year from the main thing.

Christ Jesus

The second person of the Trinity. The promised Messiah. The annointed Savior.

Came

In becoming man, Jesus did not forsake His divine nature. He took on a human nature in addition to His divine nature. He was fully God and fully man united in one person. The Word became flesh...

Into the world

He did not just move from a mansion to the ghetto. He bridged the greatest gap imaginable: heaven to earth. The Creator assumed the nature of His creatures. The Eternal One submitted Himself to the limits of time. The all-powerful One made Himself weak. The Holy One exposed Himself to temptation. The perfect One in the womb of an imperfect woman.

To Save Sinners

Too many Christmas celebrations, songs, and gatherings focus simply on the baby in the manger. Jesus did not stay in the manger. The incarnation is nothing without the sinless life, substitutionary death, and powerful resurrrection of Jesus. He was born to die for our sins. He did not come simply to make us saveable. He came to actually save sinners.

Notice verse 17: Paul breaks out into doxology in response to these truths. Christ came into this world to save us from the wrath of God because of our sin, in order to free us to marvel at and enjoy the beauty of God for all eternity. The only proper response to the historical and theological truths of Christmas is to humbly, joyfully, and verbally give all glory, honor, and praise to God alone!